Being a Mantic Pathfinder and a Mantic DreadBall Fanatic, I often get asked about how to play with several DreadBall teams. What tactics they should play, which are their strongest points or just their flaws. What MVP's should we really go with, and how will the team grow in a league? Trying to educate people in a group, I thought I'd write my opinion down for all the teams. Already in Season 3 it's time to introduce the Asterians.
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| Shan-Meeg Starhawks on the pitch |
Asterians
Someone at Mantic had a vision after seeing Tron. And from that vision, the Asterians were born.
Meet the offensive driven team of Elven like mortals that focus on winning above all else. These nimble figures try their luck into the DreadBall pitch, but will use all their skill and cunning to prevail in a match. (Or cheat their way into winning if the latter fails)
Giving the Asterians 100mc will recruit you a team along with a Defensive Coach but no DreadBall Cards or Dice.
|
Mov |
Str |
Spd |
Skl |
Arm |
SLu |
Cst |
Notes |
| Guard |
6 |
5+ |
3+ |
4+ |
4+ |
x1 |
10mc |
Dirty Tricks |
| Jack |
6 |
5+ |
3+ |
4+ |
4+ |
x3 |
10mc |
Fragile, Taking a Dive |
| Striker |
6 |
5+ |
3+ |
4+ |
5+ |
x4 |
13mc |
Fragile |
This looks like a really fast team. All have 6 movement and a 3+ Speed, but a Guard with 5+ Strength really shows their Strength (or lack of it). These guys will be using their tricks to a strategic advantage (or at least try to :)).
Dirty Tricks
This allows you to call "Foul!" agains a player on the pitch, forcing a normal Ref check against that player. Unfortunately (lucky?) this can be done only once per game (per player).
Fragile
Fragile players have 1 less success on their Armour Checks to a minimum of 0, making them more easy to get sent of the pitch.
Taking a Dive
Another ability you can use once per game (and ony once per rush!). Whilst taking any action that involves movement, your player can decide to Take a Dive.
This causes the player to fall down and call a "Foul!" on an opposing player adjacent to the falling player. This cannot be taken if the player falls over for any other reason!
If a player Takes a Dive into a hex with the ball, the ball scatters without causing a turn-over. If the player was carrying the ball, it still scatters causing a turn-over!
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| A Guard, Mellisandra, Jack and Striker |
Starhawks flying over the pitch
Asterians are all about tactical cheating. Thanks to the option of Taking a Dive, and Dirty Tricks you can try to take out several key players of your opponent soon in a match-up. This can be done to clear a path, or simply to force the other player to lose the ball!
Trying to score fast should be your primary objective. By using your 6 movement and a 3+ Speed, you should be able to get far and fast, so aim for 3-pointers. Using a second action on a player ensures you get a maximum of dice to score.
Be sure to use your defensive coach in order to get either extra dice in the opponent's turn, or even try to go offensive if you really want to score and need that extra action.
Do be warned that your players are Fragile, so be certain that retribution will be fast and swift. Try not to setup for a Slam in your back, and you'll most likely want to Evade, taking advantage of your Speed (even with your Guard).
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| Keep your team safe, and strike with precision |
When positioning our Team, we'll try to score fast, while protecting our zones. Using Jacks in Center field allows us to throw some defensive capabilities, along with the option to Take a Dive if need be. The Guard can stay in the back, and still threaten enough with his Dirty Trick.
When setting up as Defensive, it's best to move your Strikes somewhat back. Thanks to our Speed we can still pick up the ball wherever it may end up.
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| Guards can be a serious threat |
Owning a League
League play allows us to really focus on Scoring. Scoring fast and big allows our players not only to level, but also to survive. Being Fragile we should know that getting dragged into a long lasting game, or against a heavy hitting team will be very dangerous, so be certain to play more defensive at that moment. Don't be afraid to use your Dirty Tricks early in the game, possibly taking out some important players (or simply making it easier for you to score).
While leveling, increasing your Skill as a Striker is a priority. Jacks and Guards benefit with any upgrade to make them more resilient. Buying Dice and Cards should be primary expenses, just don't forget that you might need to revive some players...
Shining with MVP's
No Asterian-Specific MVP's this time, but the team does lend itself to some other MVP's. Let's increase the offensive capabilities by employing the services of Yurik Yurikson or The Enforcer. Or even better let's increase our team-mentality by asking Mellisandra to play along! Lastly, simply play with the players we have and keep the credits.
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| Mellisandra.. First introduction of the Kalyshi? |
Overall
Asterians allow you to really annoy your opponent. Having to constantly watch his placement, you can use your tricks to your advantage, even while not using them.
You'll have some extra bookkeeping per player, but it makes the team even more fun to play with. Be prepared for a hit or miss team, allowing you to score big, or lose terrible while actually not doing alot yourself :)
If you agree or disagree with any of my opinions about this team or my blog, don't hesitate to leave a comment. Or share this article if you like it, and spread the love!
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